Dame Sarah Mullally has been named the new Archbishop of Canterbury – the first woman chosen for the role.
Mullally, 63, who served for almost eight years as the bishop of London, is a former chief nursing officer for England.
Her predecessor Justin Welby resigned in November after an independent investigation found that he did not tell police as soon as he discovered serial physical and sexual abuse had been perpetrated by a volunteer at Christian summer camps.
The appointment of the first female Archbishop of Canterbury comes a decade after the church announced its first female bishop in 2015. Women were first allowed to become Anglican priests in 1994.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Mullally and wished her success in her new role.
“The Church of England is of profound importance to this country,“ Starmer said. ”Its churches, cathedrals, schools and charities are part of the fabric of our communities. The Archbishop of Canterbury will play a key role in our national life.”
